Experienced boss Harry Redknapp has managed at Bournemouth, West Ham, Portsmouth, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, QPR, Jordan and Birmingham City.
Harry Redknapp stands behind one of his finest players Gareth Bale
Harry Redknapp is one of the most experienced coaches in football management, having sat in the dugout for the last 34 years. The former West Ham United midfielder recently took on his current job of managing Championship outfit Birmingham City, having managed predominantly in the Premier League over the last two decades.
Although Redknapp’s career has not been met with many titles – an FA Cup win and an Intertoto Cup win his only genuine silverware – he has managed some impressive squads and some outstanding individuals. Much of Redknapp’s combined XI is made up of players he managed at West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur, but there are also some familiar faces from his time at Portsmouth.
David James
Thierry Henry fouled by David James at Euro 2004
Harry Redknapp worked with the likes of Julio Cesar and Peter Shilton, but neither were at their best under his stewardship. David James was 36 when he started working with Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth, but the former England international was still a top draw Premier League goalkeeper and gave Pompey four years of fine service.
Glen Johnson
At right-back, it’s another player Redknapp worked with at Fratton Park. Glen Johnson has had an up and down career, but was excellent throughout his three seasons on the south coast. The Greenwich-born full-back who has won 54 caps for England has played for the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool, but is currently at Stoke City.
Sol Campbell
Completing a trio of players Harry coached at Portsmouth is Sol Campbell. A world class centre-back in his prime, much of which was spent at Tottenham and Arsenal, the man that Spurs fans call ‘Judas’ was 32 when he joined Pompey, spending three seasons at the club, captaining the side and lifting the FA Cup in 2008.
Ledley King
Ledley King hugs David Beckham whilst playing for England
Much is made of just how good Ledley King could have been were it not for his crippling injury troubles, but regardless of that, he still gave 13 years of fine service to Tottenham Hotspur, captaining the club and often putting in real class performances when his body was able to. Capped 21 times by England, Thierry Henry once described King as the toughest defender he ever played against.
Rio Ferdinand
A back three of Campbell, King and Ferdinand offers size, strength and ability. Ferdinand began his career under Redknapp at West Ham, where he was loaned out to Harry’s former club Bournemouth before establishing himself in the first team and making an £18 million move to Leeds United. The centre-back went on to join Manchester United where he won everything under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Julian Dicks
It’s a tough choice between Stuart Pearce and Julian Dicks at left-back, but Pearce was coming to the end of his career whilst Dicks was in his prime under Harry. A West Ham favourite, Dicks is best remembered as a hard man and something of a dirty player, but he also had a wicked left foot and was a quality player for the Hammers.
Luka Modric
Luke Modric brought class to Tottenham Hotspur
Moving onto the midfield, it’s Luka Modric. A really classy midfield player who was brilliant at Tottenham Hotspur and has been equally brilliant, albeit in a slightly different role, at Real Madrid. The Croatian playmaker beats the likes of Michael Carrick, Niko Kranjcar and Rafael van der Vaart into this XI. Modric spent four years at White Hart Lane, winning the clubs Player of the Year award for the 2010-11 season.
Frank Lampard
In what is admittedly a very attacking central midfield duo, Luka Modric is joined by Frank Lampard. The former England international is best remembered for his terrific years of service to Chelsea, but he spent six years impressing at West Ham prior to that. The goal scoring midfielder bagged 39 goals in 187 games for the Hammers before sealing an £11 million move to Chelsea.
Paolo Di Canio
Hammers legend Paolo Di Canio in action for West Ham
There could be a real case for including Joe Cole in this team, the youngster was incredible at West Ham and really should have gone on to become a world class player. However, Di Canio was a special player at Upton Park, and can not be left out. The uncapped Italian spent four years with the Hammers, being named Hammer of the Year in 2000.
Gareth Bale
On the opposing wing is quite possibly the finest player Harry Redknapp has ever managed. Gareth Bale actually had his best season in north London under Andre Villas-Boas, before making a world record switch to Real Madrid, but he was still superb in Redknapp’s last two seasons. The Welshman was named PFA Players’ Player of the Year in 2010-11 under Redknapp and has gone on to become a two-time Champions League winner at Real Madrid.
Jermain Defoe
There are a plethora of credible candidates up front, from long-serving Redknapp players like Robbie Keane and Peter Crouch to top class veterans such as Teddy Sheringham and Ian Wright. Beyond that, the likes of Kevin Phillips, Yakubu and even Charlie Austin merited consideration, but we’ve plumped for Jermain Defoe. The perennial poacher, Defoe played under Redknapp at West Ham, Portsmouth and Tottenham, and could always be relied upon for a goal. The Englishman has a career total of 269 goals in 645 games.
Do you agree with our selections for Harry Redknapp’s best managerial XI?
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